A time to remember all heroes
THIS weekend we gather to remember the fallen, those who gave their lives for our country in battles past and present.
Above all, we shall remember those who died in the First World War, which ended 100 years ago this Sunday.
All wars are brutal, savage and merciless. Yet few were as barbaric as that which took place in the trenches of France and Belgium, on the beaches of Gallipoli, the Eastern Front and the mountains of Italy.
The First World War was supposed to have been the war to end all wars.
It now stands as a reminder of the horror of conflict. A whole generation was lost.
Hundreds of thousands of young men died in needless slaughter.
Their bravery must never be forgotten. Nor should we forget the women who served in the auxiliary corps, our munitions factories and tending the wounded. We give thanks too to the soldiers from India, Pakistan, Australia, Africa, New Zealand and the Caribbean who fought alongside our troops.
If we want to honour their sacrifice, we must remember why they fought and died.
Winston Churchill’s words “Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it” can be found at the railway carriage in Compiegne, near Paris, where the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918.
A hundred years ago, we saw how vainglorious leaders senselessly drove their countries towards conflict. We saw puffed-up and unimaginative officers order the lions in the infantry to go over the top. We saw the carnage nerve gas and modern armaments can bring.
Yet we also witnessed extraordinary acts of valour by individuals who never thought their courage would have to be tested.
Those who survived returned wounded and shellshocked – only to find little reward for their sacrifice in terms of jobs and security.
One lesson we have still to learn is the care we owe to those who fight for our country.
Too many veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan find themselves without work or a home.
If we want to pay tribute to heroes past, we should do more for the heroes present.